What is Focused Fishing in Destiny 2 – Answered

Fishing might be one of the best things added to Destiny 2 with the debut of Season of the Deep. But some of its mechanisms might be confusing. To that end, you might wonder what Focused Fishing is in Destiny 2. Here’s your question answered.

What is Focused Fishing in Destiny 2?

I’ll say what we’re all thinking. Fishing is really fun. I’m out here doing seasonal activities happily just to get the bait that will let me fish more. But if you want to get the best possible fish – I’m talking big ol’ Exotic fish – it’s a good idea to have your Focused Fishing bar full.

That’s the foundation of Focused Fishing. The more the bar fills up, the higher the chance you’ll get a rare, legendary, or Exotic fish. Those fish can then be turned in at the H.E.L.M., where they’ll give you various rewards, from Sonar Station reputation to actual guns. But even a perfect catch doesn’t mean you’ll yield that perfect fish if your bar is at zero. Which is why getting your Focused Fishing gauge up is so important.

Here are all the ways you can fill your Focused Fishing gauge in Destiny 2:

• Fishing with friends. If you join a group already fishing (even if they’re randoms), your gauge will fill once.
• Catch legendary or higher fish. Each time you do, you’ll get a small increase in your fishing gauge.

Related: How to Get the Centrifuse Exotic in Destiny 2

How to Fill Your Focused Fishing Gauge Quickly and Catch Exotic Fish in Destiny 2

So, actually filling up your Focused Fishing gauge sounds pretty easy, as detailed above. But here’s the rub. You only have a limited time to fill up the gauge, and quick is a relative term that’s likely based on your RNG.

While fishing with friends will give you a small initial boost in your Focused Fishing gauge, what really boosts it is catching Legendary or higher fish. Each time you do so, you’ll get the same boost as you did when you first started fishing with friends. The more legendary fish you catch, the faster your gauge will fill.

This means you’ll need a lot of bait (think at least 150 – 200). Next, select the fishing spot that is the current hot spot, as detailed by the Fishing Tackle in your inventory. The Fishing Tackle looks like a box with a hook on it. Next, try your best to get Perfect Catches consistently. This seems to be the only way to get Legendary or rarer fish.

Now… Your real enemy is the clock. Each time a Public Event spawns in an area, the fishing pond vanishes. This matters because once the pond goes, your Focused Fishing gauge resets. Fortunately, you can stay in the same area and you’ll see a notification saying that a pond has appeared.

So, the best way to optimize your fishing trip is to wait until after a Public Event, then rush off to a new pond, ideally with a friend. Then get ready to stay there until you catch that Exotic.

Fishing, unsurprisingly, is part of the Aquanaut Seal. If you’re curious about all the Triumphs you’ll need to unlock, check out our article here: How to Get the Aquanaut Seal in Destiny 2